I am excited to announce the launch of my new venture, Mothersauce Partners. Mothersauce is the culmination of a 20-year career in the greatest business in the world. I have spent my entire career behind bars, inside walk-ins and standing ruefully over grease traps–and I can’t imagine doing anything else. With Mothersauce, I hope to give a new generation of entrepreneurs the chance to achieve their dreams of ownership and be able to introduce their talents to a greater audience.

But first: The name, right? What does Mothersauce mean? Chefs will instinctively recognize the nod to French Chef August Escoffier, who is credited with elevating cooking to a respected and noble profession—in the late 19th century, mind you. It took some time for it to be as respected here in the U.S. Of the many things Escoffier did, perhaps most notable was to record and classify five basic sauces that form the backbone of French cooking—the mother sauces. These sauces provided the base for countless recipes that followed.

Cooking has come a long way since 19th century France. Many world cuisines have their own core ingredients and recipes, but to me the idea is the same now and wherever you go. Recipes always start with a solid foundation—how many recipes have you read that start with chopping an onion? Those recipes then grow, diverge, flourish and eventually become something completely new, but the ingredients for their success remain largely constant.

Through this venture, we aim to facilitate that “new.” Mothersauce Partners will provide the solid foundation—the mother sauce—from which these culinary entrepreneurs will launch their passions. With investment capital and seasoned expertise, we can offer them an opportunity to take that great leap.

We also want to continue to add to the culinary scene—and by extension, the culture and community—by selecting the talent with the true vision. We are looking for the rising stars who want to elevate their particular specialty to new heights and become impactful members of their communities. We will look to do right and do good.

I hope that many of you will join us. If you would like more information on investing, sign up on the site. If you are a concept and you are ready to talk, do the same.